Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge - will you join me?

The irony of recently guest blogging about what attracts me to vintage sewing patterns is not lost on me. I have a pattern stash almost as vast as my fabric stash, yet I've hardly sewn any of them up. Mainly because I'm so easily taken in by the frenzy surrounding the release of any new indie pattern, but there's got to be room in my stitching life for both...right? Otherwise, what's the point of collecting vintage sewing patterns in the first place?

To start redressing this balance I'm making a very simple Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge, because I find over-committing to be stressful and unnecessary:

During 2014, I, Marie Koupparis, will sew up at least five of my vintage sewing patterns.

The question is, will you join me? There are no strict rules and you don't even have to set yourself a numerical target. You can join in if you feel you're not doing justice to your vintage or reproduction sewing patterns, if you want to achieve a personal best, or even if you want to try your hand at a vintage pattern for the very first time! Tell me your plans in a comment below and/or make a pledge on your own blog. Then share your finished makes with me either in the comments, by using #vintagepledge on Twitter or via email - I'll tweet about them and pin them to this board. If enough people join in and enough finished makes, I'll also compile a few round-ups on the blog throughout the year.

And because some of you asked, my talented boyfriend made us a button...so grab one and spread the word!

Below are just some of the patterns I'm toying with. Can you believe I started and gave up on the first two years ago due to fitting issues?

Ahahaha! Considering I didn't complete my Sewlution and probably pissed the mistress of the jar off, I'm not sure how strict I can be ;o) But I'll try to keep people motivated...thanks for joining in!!!

Lovely vintage patterns you've got there! I have a few lovelies so I'll join you in the pledge though I don't think I'll be so bold as to put a number on it! I'm sure you'll find plenty of people who are keen, I'm looking forward to the round ups already!

I only have one shoebox of vintage or retro patterns (and hundreds of vintage Lutterloh), but I'm in. Most of my patterns come from charity shops which means I'm desperately waiting for the boxy '80s look to come back (complete with shoulder pads!), but I'll go 5 patterns too.

Count me in! And that Simplicity 2781 has to be the most divine dress ever!! I'll pledge to start with a DVF wrap & finish my poor neglected McCalls 6470 (hmm… lets not put her in writing… ;) ) - I am planning on counting the 70's as vintage!!ok, I pledge for 5 and for my own personal bonus points, I'll aim for one from the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's & 70's… by May 2015. By the end of this year, I will have completed 3 and made plans for the remainder.Thanks Marie!

I might have to actually get some vintage patterns first! I only own one pattern that wasn't downloaded - one! There are some beautiful vintage patterns I've been looking at on Etsy in my size though, so if I end up buying them I might join in!

I love this idea! In part because I want to see you sew up some of that amazing looking fabric and some of those patterns! ;) I think 5 sounds like a good do-able number, too. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Wow, you have such a great collection - I'm super jealous. I don't have much in the way of vintage patterns myself so I won't take the pledge (if anything, I need to buy more vintage patterns! I have three, and one is an apron), but I'm in the process of sewing a 1950's formal dress for my high school graduation, so it's guaranteed that I'll make at least one item from a vintage pattern!

Wow that really is quite the collection you have there! My stash definitely isn't as impressive as yours but I still have enough patterns that get looked over in favour of trends. I think I'll join in with 4 for the year- one every 3 months seems reasonable!

I'm really looking forward to seeing which patterns you choose- it's going to be tough call because you have some real beauties there :)

You’ve got some beauties in there that I would be happy to have! What company/number is the one with the ruching on the side of the bodice? That’s a great fabric pile too. I don’t have many vintage patterns myself so can’t take part, but look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Count Me In! My goal is to sew a garment every month. January didn't work out as I've had to take the pants I'm working on apart twice so far (don't sew when you're not feeling well!). My 15 year old daughter has asked for Vogue 2765 from the 70s. Love this coat so much I may have to make one for myself :) Thanks for having such a fun challenge!

Love your patterns! I actually started sewing with vintage patterns as they were all I had at home and I love them now for those classic shapes and little details! Can't wait to see what you make first! x

This is a brillant idea. I've been tidying up my pattern stash this weekend and have loads of vintage patterns I absolutely love but haven't made, it's a waste to just keep admiring the artwork! I'm definitely in - I'll aim for 4, got to be an even number for me :)

Love the idea and love your patterns, especially Simplicity 2781 et Mc Calls 7844. I only have 2 vintage patterns so far but it is only the beginning of the collection. Sew vintage is definitely one of my goals for 2014, so I'm in !

Hey, great idea! I will try 4 pieces - each for every season! I have some old patterns and some repros and also a Lutterloh book. I always love to look to this treasures. Now I will aim 4 and hope to admire your projects here on the blog!

Great idea! I also tend to make what is easy sometimes (3 belladones and 5 elisalexes). Time to challenge myself a bit more. I made three vintage patterns last year. This year I will aim for for 5 this year too - seems doable :)

Ahhh - you have such gorgeous vintage patterns!!! I wont join in because I have discovered that I just CANNOT stick to plans I make about sewing, but I'm looking forward to reading all about yours. Oh and can I vote for you to take a photo of each of your vintage patterns and post them on your blog (perhaps not all at once!), so that we can admire them??!!

No worries Suzanna, I totally understand and I'm the same! But I'm hoping to stick to this plan as I've gone and invited the whole world to join in ;o) Photographing all my vintage patterns could take a while...but it would be fun and maybe I could stick them on Pinterest!?!

I'm in- it was part of my sewing plans this year already :) I love your collection of patterns, btw! If you ever decide to stash bust, let me know ;) Anyway, 6 vintage patterns to use this year, and one already on my blog :) Freya May

So great of you to commit to vintage, unfortunately I don't know if I can commit to 5, my last vintage pattern attempt was such a disappointment, I should get back on the horse though!I can't wait to see your vintage makes!

The patterns in this post are gorgeous! I'm in too! :) I'll have to pick out a few from my teeny pattern library - there are a couple of my grandmother's that I've been looking forward to trying (but am a bit daunting by) - but chalk me down for three. Great project!

Great idea! I have been sewing a lot of repro patterns lately, even though I have boxes of vintage. I feel bad using them! They are too pretty. But it seems wasteful to just have them sitting around, so I am IN!

Oooooooh I want to do this - I don't have many vintage patterns but I'm trying to get one made at the moment (I have two muslined). I expect to have more time to sew in a couple of weeks, so I'll just take the plunge and steal your badge to put it on my blog.

I'm in love with your Vogue 5510 pattern (I've always admired it from the top of your blog) - if you don't get around to sewing it, send it to me and I'll sew it up and let you count it as one of your 5!

I'm in. I don't have a blog nor twitter nor instagram nor facebook. But I'll be glad to play/sew along. As you know, I have lots of patterns. I actually have my own personal stash that I need to get sewing.

I love this idea and I'm so in! vintage patterns are a challenge for me because almost every one of them has to be graded to fit me, but I think I have a plan that I can use to make that happen. First vintage pattern is set for this month! I think I'm going to get a little aggressive here and try for one a month! :D

Hmmm. I was just tossing my drawer of vintage patterns looking for something and realized I have quite few. And I bought them because I thought they would look cute made up. So this is the kick in the pants I need. Count me in!

Fifth one down! The pencil skirt version....THAT would look gorgeous on you...perhaps with a SLIGHT tulip shape to the skirt....in a teal or deep emerald coloured wool crepe....shall I stop now? Sorry! Great idea by the way!Px

I'm on board, and am just about to complete my first project of the year, made from a frankenpattern of a 60s crushed boatneck top and a vintage Lutterloh pattern. I have a number of Spadea designer patterns and am planning to do a rare Claire McCardell pattern next. Last fall, I made a jacket from what is probably the only officially licensed Chanel pattern, from 1962. I'll probably do another jacket from that pattern, as well as a Ceil Chapman dress (another Spadea pattern). I also have a Schiaparelli pattern from Vogue that's in the hopper. Sounds like fun!

Go on then, I'm in. I have so many vintage patterns but I always get distracted by all the new stuff. It's about time I sewed from my pattern stash. I'm struggling for time at the moment so I'm going to commit to three, and any more will be a bonus.

Ha I am glad I am not the only one! That is a LOVELY stash of patterns. I think the clue is in the F word you mention. Fitting is always an issue. I started a dress a few years ago with a bust of 34" which matches my high bust - should be fine but it gapes like mad. I will not be doing that one. However, I have a few that may not present too many problems - namely shirt dresses of which I will do at least one.

My Mum recently gave me her patterns. She wasn't into it in a big way but had some and usually my Nan sewed them up for her as she was a professional seamstress. There are definitely a couple I'd like to have a go at. I haven't photographed them yet for my 'catalogue' (it helps me stop buying doubles!) but once I do I'll pop back with a link to the one I choose first! Look forward to seeing your results!

It took me a bit longer than I expected to come here and post this, but, as I already mentioned on We Sew Retro, I'm in and I will also sew up 5 vintage patterns from my collection in 2014.Reflecting that collection, I want to try and pick something from each decade from the 1920's to the 1970's.

Oh! I think I'll join! Yay! I can't put a number on it because I only have a few vintage/reproduction patterns. I think this would be a perfect opportunity for me to look in my fiance's mother's pattern stash. She has loads of vintage patterns that I'll just have to grade to my size. How exciting! :)

oh i would love to do something like this but to be honest i am not finding any vintage patterns in my size. am really wanting to find something in the forty's but am really short waisted as well so i dont know what might work.. i have done period clothing 1860s & 1830s and am trying 1870s but i would love to find something in the 1900's :) -- can you suggest where i might find something that might work??

I think your best bet would be searching Etsy! You can put the period of sewing pattern you'd like to find in the search box...along with size too (although that may not provide the most accurate results as it may restrict them a little).

This must be serendipity... I have a ridiculously huge collection of vintage patterns. I was looking at them yesterday, and thinking that I really want to sew more of them, partly because I really want to wear them, and partly because I think it would be really sad if they just languished there and were never made into actual garments. So yesterday I re-traced a dress I had started previously (having had an idea about how to solve a fit issue).

Then I came across your pledge suggestion (via Lauriana of Petit Main Sauvage), which fits perfectly with these thoughts! So I'm signing up! I am aiming for three patterns though - I generally need to muslin vintage patterns, which takes up a big chunk of time, so I want to aim for something reasonable and it'll be a bonus if I do end up making more :)

I'm way behind on blogs and just saw this, but ooh! I'm in for five. I sew a lot from vintage patterns already, but tend to just make different versions of the same few over and over, neglecting all the others I have, so I'll try to make it five new-to-me patterns also. By the way, your pattern collection--so wonderful!

What a brilliant idea Marie! I'm in! I've made a pledge to make at least 3 vintage patterns this year... The likely selection is here: http://smoonbeam.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/my-sewing-blackboard-and-vintage-sewing.html

I'm in! this is such a great idea! Between inheriting a ton of patterns from my grandmother and collecting them myself I have a huge stash of vintage patterns that are being neglected. I will pledge 5 too- hope I can do it!

I have blogged the first vintage UFO I plan to tackle starting this wkend. I'm pretty excited with the thought of finally getting it done. thanks for the challenge..I';m one of those that need a good shove. :)

So many beautiful patterns! I do not have nearly as many as you but I love the ones I have and really need to make them! I have used a grand total of 4 of mine so far. I am going to have to join in and try to conquer FIVE of mine this year as well... :)

Brilliant idea, thank you! I'm going to say three as well, but to add to my challenge, I'm going to pledge to use at least three of my vintage fabrics this year too! Not firmly decided on makes yet, but first ideas here:http://sarahstar.co.uk/70s-retro/vintage-sewing-pattern-fabric-pledge/

I know I'm a little late to the game, but I've got to join in on this pledge! I have a huge vintage pattern stash and it's high time I started sewing some of them! I'm going to pledge to make at least four vintage-pattern garments this year, and hopefully more! Thanks for this great idea!

I do like the idea of hitting each decade. This would finally get me to finish my 1912 Titanic blouse and skirt...good for 20's 30's 40's 50's (60's Pucci!) 70's could be my prom dress (my first Vogue! Still have the pattern, still stylish!) 80's more Miyake and I think I'd leave it there....and one of those is going to be the One Yard Apron.....

I just became aware of your vintage sewing pattern pledge via a blogger who had the badge on her blog. What a great idea! I shall join and some of my vintage patterns will finally get tested! I've been collecting for just about a year, and they are literally just collecting dust. I'd like to definitely put them to good use. The oldest patterns I have are from the 40's, and I'm very much looking forward to making some.

oooooo so so in :) I cant wait to select my 5 (its going to be both hard, and very very fun) thank you for this little booster I needed to get back with my darling Malina Bernina. Cant wait to see the results from you fabulousness too